I need information regarding organizations that help troubled kids
(socially challenged, ages 8-18) re-stabilize themselves in their communities. 
Specifically, I'm looking for information on organizations that help
trouble kids through training the kids to train wild horses.  I've
heard of ministries doing this, but I've haven't found anything yet on
this.  I'm also interested in organizations that do this type of work
with the following characteristics:
   1. Christian based (Primarily), also interested in non-Christian
   2. Uses horses as the primarily means of turning troubled kids
      around
   3. Trains troubled kids to train wild horses

I'm interested in actually doing something similar for my state
(Oregon), but need to conduct some research in other organizations
that have already done this sort of thing.

I'm also interested in organizations that - in general - work with
horses and troubled kids.

Here are some specific information needs:
   1. General governmental regulations for Oregon, Washington, and
      Idaho on forming, conducting, financing, etc. these type of
      ministry organizations
   2. Links to websites to these ministry organizations
      -	Other links that would be helpful in organizing and starting
        an organization such as this.
   3. Phone #'s to information sources that would lead to further
      information.

Thank You very much!

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Request for Question Clarification by romana-ga on 07 Aug 2002 02:15 PDT

Hi oldgaffer-ga,
are you exclusively interested in only wild horses? There can be found
many online references concerning the therapeutical use of (certainly
tame) horses.

Kind regards

romana-ga

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Request for Question Clarification by tehuti-ga on 07 Aug 2002 03:25 PDT

I found some mentions of Vision Quest doing this as part of their activities:
http://www.vq.com.

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Clarification of Question by oldgaffer-ga on 07 Aug 2002 10:24 PDT

I'm primarily interested in wild horses being used, but I am also
considering other options.  I actually know of a place in Oregon
that does use tame and mistreated horses for this same type of
ministry to kids (they rescue horses).  To answer your question:
   1. Primarily wild horses
   2. Secondary tame or semi-tame horses.

Thanks!

Jeremiah

Hi,

I used to work in a wilderness program for at-risk youth so I was
intrigued by your question. I think I've covered the matter pretty
fully and would like to provide a three part answer.

First, there are indeed more than a few therapeutic programs for
at-risk youth that use wild horses. Probably the most well known is
"The Mustang Project", right down the road from you in Northern
California.
http://www.themustangproject.org/
Little Sparrow Ranch, located in Northern California, is home of The
Mustang Project,  a non-profit organization helping both youth and
horses.

Here's a story about their work. "THE MUSTANG PROJECT"
http://www.horsewhisperer.com/Mustang_Project.htm
"Bringing wild horses and troubled children together to benefit
therapeutic-riding centers."

Two other groups are also worth mentioning.
First, "Return to Freedom" advertises that they operates a program for
at-risk youth as part of their larger wild horses program.
http://www.returntofreedom.org/PAGES/programs.html

The Wild Horse and Burro Ranch says they provide similar services.
http://www.wildhbranch.com/

After reading about these programs, you might be asking yourself about
how to adopt wild horses. You're in luck. The Bureau of Land
Management runs an adopt a wild horse program and you can also go
directly to the BLM website and read about their program for adopting
wild horses in Oregon and Washington.
Oregon and Washington Wild Horses and Burros
http://www.or.blm.gov/Burns/Horseburro/horse.html

Finally, for the end of the first part, after you get closer to
startup, you may want the help of an organization such as the Pacific
Wild Horse Club. They aid people in adoption cases, even bordering
them for brief times during the adoption process.
http://www.pacificwildhorseclub.org/

The second portion of the answer is brief. Since you asked about
organizations that worked with troubled youth using tame horses, I
thought I'd add four additional resources because they would help you
with information on startup and organizational matters.

HABITAT FOR HORSES
http://www.habitatforhorses.org/

Hearts & Horses 
http://www.fortnet.org/hearts&horses/index.html

Paradise Youth Ministry and Youth Ministry, Inc.
http://paradiseequineadoption.org/

Horse Warriors
http://www.horsewarriors.com/

The third portion of the answer deals with you request for "General
governmental regulations for Oregon, Washington, and Idaho on forming,
conducting, financing, etc. these type of ministry organizations".

First, in general, these types of ministry organizations are legally
classified as 501(c) corporations (nonprofits). The rules governing
the startup and operation of non-profits differes from state to state.

As for financing. There are some alternative  avenues available such
as the
The Oregon Community Foundation
http://www.ocf1.org/
that provides grants and scholarships for humanitarian, educational,
and cultural programs that benefit communities throughout Oregon.

You can also find information about legal issues associated with
starting non-profits in Oregon using this link. It's a PDF document
and you'll need acrobat reader.
www.open.org/~scserv/neighbor/H.pdf 

Aslo in Oregon, the Multnomah Bar Association has a program that
provides legal assistance to non-profits.
http://www.osbar.org/5member/volunteer/probono/other.html

A similar organization in Washington is called, The Evergreen State
Society
http://www.tess.org/

For some beginning legal information on non-profits in Washington, see
the following government page.
http://www.secstate.wa.gov/charities/

In Idaho, there's a program called
Idaho Volunteer Lawyers Program
that provides Tax-exempt status assistance for nonprofit corporations.
You need to qualify as a low-income person in need. If you do not, I'm
sure they can offer you advice on who to contact for the necessary
legal information.

That's about it. Best of luck with your project.